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5 soldiers and veterans told us why they pledged to protect a young, scared Muslim girl.

For the past two weeks, veterans and active military men and women from around the world have been posting photos of themselves on social media with the hashtag #iwillprotectyou.

The campaign, which began with a single Facebook post from Army veteran Kerri Peek, was launched in support of Sofia Yassini, an 8-year-old Muslim-American girl from Texas, who — after watching Donald Trump on TV call for banning Muslims from entering the U.S. — got scared that the military was going to come and kick her and her family out of the country.

"It was the first time that it really drove home to me that we’re in a dangerous place right now," Sofia's mother Melissa Yassini — who works with the Islamic Association of North Texas — told Upworthy.

Since Peek's hashtag went viral, hundreds of veterans and active duty military members have contacted the Yassinis to express their support, according to Melissa.

Upworthy contacted five of them and asked them why they chose to reach out to Sofia.

Here's what they told us, in their own words (many of those who are currently serving noted that they are speaking for themselves only, and not the U.S. military):

Sgt. Amanda Hils

"The idea that a child would be scared in our own [country], of our own military, is not something I'm comfortable with," Hils told Upworthy.


Hils, who was deployed in Afghanistan in 2011-12, recalled feeling heartbroken that any American child would view her fellow service members as a threat. While many veterans and active military men and women wrote messages, Hils felt it was important to show Sofia what it looks like to have a woman in uniform looking out for her.

"If she's able to put faces to that sentiment, I think that's great."

Above all else, she believes speaking out was the right — and necessary — thing to do, and that the man in charge would agree.

"At the very least, I'm echoing the sentiments of our commander-in-chief. He's made it very clear: Muslims are not our enemy."

Sherman Hardy

"The more fear grows, and the stronger it gets, the easier it is to overshadow everything," Hardy, an Air Force veteran who served as a military policeman in Wyoming and Korea, told Upworthy.


According to Hardy, growing up African-American left him all-too-familiar with how harmful — and deeply, emotionally wounding — some stereotypes can be and how it can often be difficult not to carry them through life. The notion that Muslims are dangerous — and that non-Muslims should fear them — hits Hardy the same way.

"Once you're labeled something, you begin to think, 'OK, is there any truth to this?' You have to question yourself, and be stronger than that, and know, 'OK, that's not who I am.'"

That's why, for Hardy, the decision to support Sofia and her mom is not just an obligation that comes along with having served.

"I think it's an American duty," he said.

Lt. Cmdr. Montel Williams (retired)

"Were anyone to try to force your daughter, an American citizen, to leave this country on the basis of her faith, my oath would require me to act," the talk show host wrote on Facebook.

Unbeknownst to many who watch him on TV, Williams served 22 years between the Marines and the Navy — retiring with the rank of lieutenant commander — and remains an active, vocal supporter of veterans' causes to this day.

Yes, that's Montel Williams. Photo via Montel Williams/Facebook., used with permission.

"Members of the military aren't given a choice who they protect, of what faith, what race, what sexual orientation, whatever," Jonathan Franks, a spokesperson for Williams told Upworthy.

According to Franks, Williams is heavily involved with a campaign to secure the release of Amir Hekmati — an American citizen currently being held in Iran — and believes anti-Muslim bigotry from Donald Trump and others shows the kind of distrust that makes progress on such issues difficult.

"We're not going to solve a whole lot of problems by alienating people in the Muslim community," Franks said.

Patrick Brandt

"No one will be coming for you, so long as I breathe," Brandt, a former paratrooper who served two tours in Iraq, wrote on Facebook.


Photo by Patrick Brandt/Facebook, used with permission.

In addition to showing Sofia support, Brandt was moved to post #iwillprotectyou to help rebuke the Islamophobic sentiments that he believes are distressingly common among some of his fellow veterans.

"I'm not saying all vets are represented in that group, maybe not even most of them," Brandt told Upworthy, "But [that] crowd is certainly the loudest on social media it seems to me."

The message Brandt hopes to send his comrades-in-arms?

"I want them to know that I see the Islamophobic movements that are happening in our nation are in direct conflict with the ideals of USA," Brandt told Upworthy. "Not only will I physically defend my brothers and sisters if it comes down to that, but I will proactively step up and be a voice of compassion to my peers."

Lt. Cristina Trecate

"When you're eight years old, that shouldn't be something you're scared about," Trecate told Upworthy. "You should probably be scared about when your crayon breaks, what color you're going to use next, not being kicked out of your home."


Trecate enlisted in the New Jersey National Guard at 19 and spent her early service as a truck driver before heading to college and receiving an officer's commission. Now a field artillery officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard, she emphasized that her duty is to protect all Americans.

"I would just want her to know that she shouldn't be afraid," Trecate said. "She can feel safe at night, knowing that there are hundreds of thousands of people, clearly, who are willing to protect her and be there for her and defend her."

More than anything, Trecate wants Sofia to know that she'll never be kicked out of her home, no matter what.

"None of us are going to let that happen."

Melissa told Upworthy she feels honored a campaign her daughter inspired has touched so many people, and she has made it a point to respond to as many as she can.

"I'm always a believer that love wins over evil and hate, and it does every time," Melissa said.

For Melissa, the best evidence is that Sofia has gone back to being a normal 8-year-old girl.

"One day she just said, 'Mommy, I'm not worried anymore,'" Melissa said.

Golden Years

'Boomer panic' is a real phenomenon, and there's a heartbreaking reason for it

This isn't just young generations bashing the old.

Photo credit: Canva

Boomer panic is real.

In a video posted in September 2023, TikToker @myexistentialdread used the phrase “boomer panic” to explain how baby boomers (1946 to 1964) can quickly become unhinged when faced with the most minor problems. It all started when she visited a Lowe’s hardware store and encountered a boomer-aged woman working at the check-out stand.

“I had a dowel that didn’t have a price tag on it, whatever, so I ran back and took a photo of the price tag. And as I was walking back towards her, I was holding up my phone… because I had multiple dowels and that was the one that didn’t have the price tag on it,” she said in the video. “And she looks at me and she goes, ‘I don’t know which one that is,’ and she starts like, panicking.” The TikToker said that the woman was “screechy, panicking for no reason.”

 older woman upset, boomer reactions, boomer panic Older people can become frustrated over seemingly small things.Photo credit: Canva

Many people raised by boomers understood what she meant by "boomer panic." "Boomer panic is such a good phrase for this! Minor inconvenience straight to panic," the most popular commenter wrote. And while there was some unfortunate boomer-bashing in the comments, some younger people tried to explain why the older folks have such a hard time regulating their emotions: “From conversations with my mother, they weren’t allowed to make mistakes and were harshly punished if they did.” The TikToker responded, “A lot of people mentioned this, and it breaks my heart. I think you’re right,” Myexistentialdread responded.

A follow-up video by YourTango Editor Brian Sundholm tried to explain boomer panic in an empathetic way.

 

“Well, it's likely that there actually was a reason the woman started panicking about a seemingly meaningless problem,” Sundholm said. “Most of us nowadays know the importance of recognizing and feeling our emotions.” Sundholm then quoted therapist Mitzi Bachman, who says that when people bottle up their emotions and refuse to express them, it can result in an "unhinged" reaction.

TikToker Gabi Day shared a similar phenomenon she noticed with her boomer mom; she called the behavior “anxiety-at-you.”

Day’s boomer mother was “reactive,” “nervous,” and “anxious” throughout her childhood. Now, she is still on edge with Day’s children. “She's immediately like gasping and just really like exaggerated physical reactions, and then, of course, that kind of startles my kid,” Day said. “Again, I know that this comes from a place of care. It's just a lot,” she continued.

@itsgabiday

It comes from a place of love but it is exhausting 🫠😬 #millennialmomsoftiktok #boomergrandma #reparenting #gentleparenting

 

There is a significant difference in emotional intelligence and regulation between how boomers were raised and how younger generations, such as Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z, were brought up. Boomers grew up when they had to bottle up their feelings to show their resilience. This can lead to growing anger, frustration with situations and people, chronic stress, and anxiety—all conditions that can lead to panicky, unhinged behavior.

Ultimately, Sundholm says that we should sympathize with boomers who have difficulty regulating their emotions and see it as an example of the great strides subsequent generations have made in managing their mental health. “It may seem a little harsh to call something 'boomer panic,' but in the context of how many of them were raised, it makes a lot of sense,” Sundholm says. “It also underlines the importance of emotional regulation skills and teaching them to future generations. And maybe most important, having compassion for those who never had a chance to learn them.”

 older person's hands holding a younger person's hands, compassion for elderly Having compassion for older generations can go a long way.Photo credit: Canva

This article originally appeared in March.

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Gen Xers are comparing themselves to the Silent Generation and the similarities are uncanny

"Very low key, no fuss or drama sorts of people."

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Many people from Generation X are comparing themselves to the Silent Generation.

Generation X, those born between 1965 and 1980, hold a unique place between Baby Boomers and Millennials. But its a previous generation that many are claiming to relate to even more: the Silent Generation.

In an online community of Gen Xers, a member named @bravenewwhorl shared with fellow Gen Xers about the similarities they share with the Silent Generation, those born between 1925 and 1945. "My parents were born before World War Two and my older siblings are younger boomers. Let’s hear it for the Silent Generation who were very much like us; went through the Depression, the war, took care of themselves and knew how to conserve resources," they wrote.

The user when on to add, "For example my mom scraped ALL the butter off the foil wrapper, and used every frying pan and leftover chicken bone as an opportunity to make soup."

 chicken soup, sicken bone, soup, hot soup, homemade soup Chicken Soup GIF  Giphy  

The post seemed to resonate with many Gen Xers, who also shared their thoughts and experiences that connect them to the Silent Generation. These are some of the best comments from Gen Xers on why they feel simpatico with the Silent Generation.

 no drama, drama, dramatic, low key, no fuss, generations No Drama Allblk GIF by WE tv  Giphy  

"My parents are Silent Gen. Very low key, no fuss or drama sorts of people." Dark-Empath-

"Mine too. That's basically their defining generational trait -- head down, work, and stay out of the way." stevemm70

"Oh the way my Dad could say nothing so very loudly. There are still things I wouldn't dream of doing now because his silence was so deafening. I am 56." Maleficent_Bit2033

"Mine were born during the war, but same. Extremely frugal and practical. Parents were way into reusing everything and not wasting. My mom still has a drawer full of Ziplock bags and sheets of tinfoil that have been used 10x. My dad drilled into me that social security probably will not be there for our generation, so save save save. Cars are tools, not investments. Drive it into the ground. My Honda is 20 years old, Dad!" Haunting-Berry1999

 frugal, frugality, practical, cheap, save No Way Wow GIF by RatePunk  Giphy  

"My parents are Silent Generation, and because I was born in the mid 60s, so are the parents of almost everyone I grew up with. I am tired of this narrative that all GenX parents were boomers; that is simply not true, especially for those of us born 1970 or earlier. My parents were always very concerned about economic security, both for themselves and their kids. They transferred that concern to my siblings and myself." Ineffable7980x

"I still put ham bones in the freezer (Great grandma thing) for the soup I never make. Maybe this time :)." motherofguinaepigz

"My parents' parents definitely conserved resources - would wash and reuse 'tin foil', made food carry over into 4 or 5 different meals, shopped wisely, were extremely frugal with money and tried to be financially savvy. For them, cars, clothes, and appliances were maintained and repaired and lasted for years and years. My parents inherited a lot of those traits by example, and it followed down to us, too. Cars, clothes, and appliances aren't made today the way they were 'back then', of course, but we still try to make it work. I know people who change cars, or get new appliances, or even remodel or move to a new house every several years, and that just doesn't make sense to me. I just hope upcoming generations maintain and improve the 'reduce, reuse, recycle' mindset we were taught." DrewHunterTn

 reduce, reuse, recycle, frugal, resources Reduce Climate Change GIF by INTO ACTION  Giphy  

"My grandparents were Silent Generation. I am young GenX (but still GenX ‘76). I wouldn’t be who I am today if it weren’t for my Silent Generation grandparents. They taught me a lot, and I feel more in touch with their generation than I’ve ever felt with Boomers. The boomers were such a let down; not great parents and worse grandparents." kemberflare

"My folks are both silent generation (both born in 41) and I'm a young gen x (born in 75, last of 3), and farm kids to boot. They taught me a lot of important things. You do what you want, but think it through because all actions have consequences. Don't waste money on frivolous stuff, but when you buy something big, buy quality and make it last. Most importantly, while they loved me and thought I was special, the world at large doesn't think about me at all. Also, my mom still washes out ziplock bags. I did not keep that lesson." No_Hedgehog_5406

"Mine are young Silent gen’s, so didn’t know the war strife, but their parents knew how to be frugal, could fix anything, and passed that down through the generations. My parents said they were too old to be hippies, but almost went to Woodstock. My dad got a PhD to stay out of Vietnam. Like others have said, very low key, very private, and didn’t live in the past at all. Compared to my friends’ parents, I wouldn’t trade them for anything else." ZuesMyGoose

This article originally appeared in May.
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30 cheap and delicious meals frugal people swear they never get sick of

"I could eat one every day of my life if I allowed it to happen."

Image via Canva

Frugal people share cheap meals they love.

Groceries are a major expense these days. And grocery prices are continuing to go up in 2025, according to the USDA. Still, making meals at home versus going out to eat is cheaper, and a big way to save money. But getting creative with low-cost ingredients can be a hang-up.

In an online community of frugal people, member samdaz712 posed the question to fellow savers: "What’s the cheapest meal you actually enjoy eating regularly?"

They continued, "We all have that one budget meal that somehow never gets old. For me, it’s rice, eggs, and frozen mixed veggies with soy sauce and chili flakes. Costs next to nothing, takes 10 minutes, and I actually look forward to it."

The post wrapped up with a call-out for others' favorite and frugal meals. "Curious what everyone else’s go-to cheap meals are not the I’ll suffer through this to save money kind, but the ones you genuinely like and would still eat even if you weren’t budgeting. Always looking for new ideas that don’t break the bank," they added.

Frugal people happily shared their cheap (and yummy) go-to meals. Here are 30 cheap meals that they never get sick of.

"PB&J sandwiches. I could eat one every day of my life if I allowed it to happen. If I'm feeling fancy, I'll make a PB, banana, and honey sandwich. Then I'll pan toast with a generous amount of butter on each side until the bread is golden brown and the PB starts to melt. It's so decadent yet so cheap." - Kom4K

"Fried egg sandwich." - Major9000

"Every week-ish we make pinto beans, smash em up into a refried situation, melt some cheese, spread them on toasted torta bread with avocado. Then use leftovers in your eggs the next day or make burritos for lunch. You can never go wrong with a pot of beans." - BoardNo1459

"A pot of pinto beans with a link of kielbasa sausage and corn bread...Absolute baller." - Bigram03

"'Hobo-potatoes,' diced potatoes, onions, salt and pepper, mixed up in a bag of foil with oil and left to cook in the coals of a camp fire. Goes great with any protein and has more potassium per serving than bananas." - BlaqueNight

"Pasta and butter. Sometimes with grated parmesan." - RuthlessLidia

"Quesadilla." - babe_ruthless3

"Toast." - FrauAmarylis

"Pan fried tofu slabs braised in a pan with chopped kimchi, green onion, kimchi liquid or rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, bit of water to make it saucy, a tsp of sugar seems to help it meld together. Takes 10-12 min. Served over short grain rice. Optional toppings, toasted sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, sliced green onion. Edit: this was from The NY Times food, from Sue Li for exact proportions." - LavaPoppyJax

"Costco’s $1.50 hot dog and drink." - StarWolf478

"Rice and eggs for me too. It can be enjoyed in so many ways! My favorite is a crispy egg that’s still yolky on sushi rice with seaweed, salt and sesame oil." - theyrejusttoys

"For me it's an egg foo young - type dish! Stir raw eggs into leftover cooked vegetables (and optional protein, like leftover chicken or whatever you have). Ladle the mixture into a hot pan with a little oil, and fry up into patties. Serve over rice, and top with a drizzle of some kind of Asian sauce and a little hot pepper. You can look up a recipe for Egg Foo Young sauce, but that's not necessary; it tastes great with almost any kind of Asian sauce, or simply soy sauce. The cooked patties last for days in the refrigerator and can be reheated. Bonus: This is a fantastic way to use up any small bits of leftover veggies or meat. And if I have wilted vegetables that are in danger of spoiling, I just chop them up and quickly sauté them together, and freeze them in small containers. Now I have lots of veggies ready to go to make delicious egg foo young." - TIL_eulenspiegel

"For me, it’s instant noodles with a soft-boiled egg, some greens, and a splash of sesame oil. Dirt cheap but feels like comfort food every time!" - Wajid-H-Wajid

"Baked potatoes. So cheap, so good." - killyergawds

"Over-night oats. Eat it every morning before work." - Non_Binary_Goddess

"Nachos for the win." - HappyBear4Ever

"Rice and lentils cooked together." - RichCoast7186

"Potatoes, baked beans, fried eggs. Potatoes, corned beef, fried eggs. Rice (Mexican, Spanish, or Asian), beans, fried eggs. Cottage cheese, bran, frozen blueberries, milk. Home made salsa or pico de gallo on anything. Ground beef, rice, tomato and whatever else I have around. Rotisserie chicken, use the carcass to make soup with rice. Use the chicken that you can get off with tortillas and verde/enchilada sauce. With rice and beans. My advice, get really good at cooking rice, beans, and potatoes. Make sure you have a good selection of spices. Throw whatever extra money you have at whatever meats you can." - himthatspeaks

"Sweet potato black bean burrito a la moosewood. The most basic version is just a sweet potato and a can of black beans (but much better with an upgrade of caramelized onions and some cumin)." - Upbeat-Poetry7672

"Sardines on toast with a over easy egg." - Gandi1200

"Green bean casserole! Takes 10mins and lasts me all week for dinner and lunch." - Kihakiru

"Pan fried Spam, sunny side up egg, over rice. Furikake seasoning to taste." - Cajunsalmon

"I don't make meals I don't enjoy eating, but these are easy, quick, healthy and yummy. 1/2 rice , 1/2 red lentils + cubed veggies (frozen or fresh) eventually crushed tomatoes or coconut milk. Baked savory oats : shredded veggies +oats and eventually eggs or cheese or tomato sauce. Dhal sooooooo delicious. Split pea soup." - sohereiamacrazyalien


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17 lifehacks that are so great people can't believe everyone doesn't know them

"I cannot believe I didn't already know how to do this. Thank you, random internet person!"

via Canva/Photos

A woman choosing an orange.

The Internet is a place of creation and destruction. It’s where people come together to share ideas and collaborate to make a better world. It’s also the destination of choice for those who like to sow chaos and contribute to the gradual unravelling of civilized society. In this article, we aim to focus on the positive side of the Internet by sharing one of the newest rounds of life hacks, which are seriously simple ways to make your life easier.

Tech writer Danny O’Brien coined the term "life hack" in 2004 to describe software-related tricks that developers used to make their lives easier. “Modern life is just this incredibly complex problem amenable to no good obvious solution,” O’Brien told Lifehacker in 2005. “But we can peck around the edges of it; we can make little shortcuts. And once you point out that everyone does that, once you coin the term, it’s really easy to pile a whole of lot of shared behaviors into one neat pile.”


Reddit is always a great place for people to share their latest and greatest life hacks. Recently, a user asked people to share the ones that are “so good, you can't believe other people don’t know them." The responses didn’t disappoint. They covered everything from time-saving keyboard shortcuts to how to pick the best orange at the grocery store. We combed the list to choose the best 17, and here they are:

17 lifehacks that are so great people can't believe everyone doesn't know them

1. Pick heavy fruit

"When purchasing citrus fruit, select the heavy ones. They are more likely to be fresh and juicy than the lighter ones (assuming the same variety and similar size)."

"I learned from Alton Brown to pick the fruit that feels heavier than it looks. Means it's more dense. Hasn't failed me yet!"

2. Dental trick

"Dental tablets - like the ones that dissolve to clean dentures - clean out water bottles incredibly well. Can be super lightweight to carry while camping/hiking/traveling too. Put all my friends onto this hack!"

"Have been using them for decades for cleaning anything that's not easily cleanable. And since it's made to clean third teeth you can use it without worry for anything that touches food."

 dental tablets, alkaseltzer, galss, hand in glass, water, drinks, upset stomach A man dropping a dental table into a glass of water.via Canva/Photos

3. Clipboard history

For people who work on Windows computers, hit the Windows key and V at the same time. Instead of pasting, it opens up your entire clipboard. Once you enable it, it will save a history of what you copy, and you can pick and choose."

"I have worked with computers for decades and just tried this. I cannot believe I didn't already know how to do this. Thank you random internet person!"

4. Magic delete

"Instead of hitting backspace 10x when you misspell a word and want to retype it you hold control and when you backspace it deletes the whole word."

5. Proven stress reducer

"Minding your own business really does reduce stress."

"Honestly, just leaving social media behind in the dust can be amazing for your soul."

6. Latex for pet hair

"A wet latex glove in circling motions extracts all the pet hair embedded in your couch's upholstery into neat little balls that you can easily collect and discard."

"Tbh you don't even need to get it wet. The friction and static clump everything together. I work as a dog groomer and at the end of every work day, I throw on a glove and just start going to town on any fuzzy surfaces."

7. Two checking accounts

"Having two checking accounts. One for bills, one for spending. Total up all of your monthly bills and divide by how many paychecks you get in a month. That amount (plus a little more for fluff) should go into the bills account. The rest is for saving or spending and goes to the other account. Never keep the debit card for the bills account with you. That money is NOT for fun times!"

"I have not had a single money issue since I started doing this. Should be way higher."

 atm, cash, cash deposit, twenties, cash machine A man depositing cash.via Canva/Photos

8. The hiccup cure

"If you have hiccup or sidestitch (running), you can rid of it by exhaling all the way till you have no more breath and then hold it for a few seconds."

"For hiccups, I usually take really deep breaths and hold them. I guess either way is pretty much just stimulating the diaphragm, which helps stop the hiccups."

9. The trick to being a great listener

"Do you want to vent or do you want advice?"

"We're on the same team. It's you and me vs the problem, not me vs you."

10. Unzip zip ties

"You can loosen zip ties by pinching the side of the block with pliers."

"Alternatively, you can also push a pin or small flathead screwdriver under the tab to lift it and then let the zip tie out that way without damaging the block."

11. Lettuce that lasts

"Wrapping lettuce in aluminum foil makes it last for a month."

12. Brag your way to the top

"Work pro tip, particularly if you are in an office/corporate environment: Just doing your work silently isn’t enough. There is a reason those most vocal are usually who get promoted. It might be unnatural, but you need people to know the work you’re delivering. You have to be comfortable humble-bragging to keep climbing."

"Can confirm. Have talked myself through many promotions all the way from the floor to a director position. I guess I have to do some actual work soon though… meh, let me go see who’s by the coffee machine now. It’s been five minutes after all."



13. Meditation is peace

"Prayer and meditation do not change other people or your surroundings; what they change is *you*: how you interpret situations, other people's actions, how you react, etc. and as you calm and filter life through this lens, the people around you become calmer, more at ease, more open to connection with you, and life expands."

"This is also what mindfulness does, too! And ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). They help you learn to give space to your thoughts, feelings, and actions before you make a decision to keep them or let them go."

14. Get moving

"If you're depressed, don't feel good, maybe had a bender or anything else, get out from underneath the blanket and take a walk around the block. You will feel 10x better after about 10 minutes of moving. If you're actually bed-ridden or sick sick. Don't. But if you're hungover or beating yourself up or you don't feel good, go for a stroll. You'll feel better when you get back."

"When I was super depressed, I'd call it my depression shuffle. Once every 24 hours, didn't matter what time, I had to go outside for 10 minutes. Didn't get properly dressed or anything, coat and beanie, and then at minimum a slow shuffle to loop twice around my building. Usually I went right back to bed after. It didn't make everything instantly better, but it did put me one inch closer toward recovery. An inch is an inch, I'll take it."

 walk, couple holding hands, nice walk, couple talking, romantic walk A couple on a romantic walk.via Canva/Photos

15. Enliven your leftovers

"Using a slightly damp paper towel to cover food when you microwave it. Prevents it from getting dry and retains more flavor."

"Also, if you're reheating leftovers and don't want them to be soggy from the microwave, put them in the Air Fryer for 5 to 7 minutes. Works well for French fries, chicken wings, spring rolls, etc."

16. Revolving credit

"I have one credit card that is used exclusively for recurring bills, and it never leaves the house. It’s also set to autopay, so I never have to think about it."

17. Don't worry about what you can't control

"Stop allowing things you can't control to live rent-free in your head."

"A very helpful trick I learned for when anxiety is making me ruminate at night is to pick a random shortish word, preferably with nonrepeating letters (ex, "blue"). Take the first letter of that word (B) and just start listing any and all words you can think of that start with that first letter. When stuck, move on to the next letter (L) and start listing those words. If you make it to the end of your word, start over with a different word and eventually your brain gets bored enough to let you fall sleep lol. I can usually go from high anxiety to dead asleep within a few minutes and most often before I finish my first word, so it might be worth a try! Bonus: there's nothing to learn or practice for it to work since it's just listing words :) hell, it even works if you misspell your base word lol."

This article originally appeared in May.
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A British farmer caught someone dumping 421 tires on his land. His revenge was poetic justice.

"I got sick of it, so I thought I would do a bit back."

via Canva/Photos

An angry farmer and some illegally-dumped tires.

In 2020, a farmer outside of Liverpool, England, served up one of the most beautiful helpings of karma the world has ever seen, and people are still talking about it to this day. It all began when Stuard Baldwin, then 56, visited his 2,500-acre farm and found that someone had dumped tires on his property. Stuart and his family own SED Services Ltd, a recycling company that turns green waste into usable materials like compost.

Start was no stranger to illegal dumpers, or fly-tippers, as they call them in the UK, but this was unheard of, and he had to do something about it. So, he set up a security camera on his property to see if he could catch the guy.

"I was getting so angry with people fly-tipping on my land, it was time to do something about it, to take matters in our own hands. We put a camera up in the bushes and we caught the man who did it on the camera,” Stuart told the Manchester Evening News. “My daughter put a picture on Facebook and we found out who it was he actually came forward,” he continued.

 tires, illegal dumping, tires in field, used tires, waste Tires dumped in a field.via Canva/Photos

Being a gentleman, Stuart found out where the man lived and gave him days to come to his farm and pick up the tires. “He came down and he said he was going to move them, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt and a couple of days breathing – but he never moved them. I thought he must have forgot, so I took them back to remind him,” he told The Daily Mail.

In a video that later went viral, Tsuart and his team loaded up all 421 tires onto a truck and then dumped them in front of the man’s house. Footage shows the tires rolling all over the front of the man’s house and bouncing into the street. “We have come to my land at Haydock, and somebody has put these tires here overnight. Luckily, we found out who has forgotten them, so we are going to take them back to the person who put them here, thank you,” Start says in the video.

  - YouTubeyoutu.be

“We wish no harm to him or any property hence why we will placed them in his garden without causing any damage, we just want to prove a point that you can't just go around fly-tipping wherever you want as it isn’t fair,” Stuart said. "I was so angry when I saw the tyres and I'm a big believer in karma - karma has got him here."

The act of perfect retribution done in the most fair way possible is a great message, and that’s probably why the story is still popular after five years. The moral of the story is simple: take care of your own garbage; don’t make a teenager have to do it for you. If so, you may not like how he handles business.

"Nobody likes a fly-tipper. We've been inundated with congratulations since the video went online,” Stuart told the Manchester Evening News. "The response has been amazing, it's gone the right way for us."

This article originally appeared in May.

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